Rotary Club of Manila Holds Induction Ceremonies in Style

Time flies and so too was a Great Year of strides, a Rotary year that saw the finest from Asia’s First Rotary Club which garnered Overall Most Outstanding Club and Overall Most Outstanding Club President, capping a cart full of area and district wide awards while bringing back memories of a glorious past.

With a banner Rotary Year 2017-2018 drawing to a close, the spotlight shifted to the elegant and much talked about Induction Ceremonies of the Centennial Board of Directors of Asia’s First Rotary Club, a Filipiniana inspired gathering with tinges of Maranao culture embedded, embodying the club’s rich cultural heritage of a hundred years in a melting pot of races set at the majestic Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel where meetings used to be held almost a century past. Indeed, a past revisited in awesome splendor on a quaint Wednesday afternoon, the 30th of May 2018, as the regality of the event signalled an evening of grandeur that became the proverbial mark of a milestone, ushering in the year of the Centennial of the Rotary Club of Manila and the Rotary movement in the Philippines and in Asia.

The festivities began with the registration of guests in their evening’s best Filipiniana attire where they were each given a bag bearing the new logo of the club, a souvenir program, a copy of the BALITA and for members, a pin bearing the new logo of Asia’s First Rotary Club together with dinner tickets and the purchase of raffle tickets followed by the celebration of the Holy Mass officiated by Fr. Dennis Paez in thanksgiving for the many blessings received by the club in its many years of existence. Rotarians from all over the district and Manila Rotarians alike lined up for a photo opportunity at the Maranao-inspired photo wall just outside the premises of the venue where a red carpet led to the ultimate photo spot just like the Oscars. Thereafter, they were ushered into the venue by ushers, some of whom hail from our Rotaract-sponsored clubs, until they were seated at their assigned places.

The raffle-studded evening, which was even made more meaningful with the presence of sister club, the Rotary Club of New Orleans, and other daughter clubs as well as a throng of Inspiring Presidents, began with the minor raffle prizes and the winners flashed on screen while the guests and Rotarians eagerly anticipated the serving of a sumptuous sit-down dinner while being serenaded by Rachelle Gerodias and her husband with opera songs never before heard in any Rotary event.

As half past the hour of seven struck, PP Benny Laguesma reprised his familiar role as Program Moderator and Great President Jimmie Policarpio called the meeting to order in the presence of esteemed dignitaries in the district and Rotary International as well led by RIDE Raffy Garcia, Great District Governor Loy Cosico and our very own Inspiring District Governor Rudy Bediones. The induction of the Board of Directors and Executive Officers for RY 2018-2019 immediately took place with inducting officer, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, doing the honors. Thereafter, Great President Jimmie Policarpio, acclaimed by District 3810 as the Overall Most Outstanding Club President for RY 2017-2018, turned over the mantle of leadership to Inspiring President Susing Pineda whose motto has always been “the best is yet to come.”

Replete with the glitz and glamor that only tinseltown could present, Inspiring President Susing Pineda was sworn in by Former Philippine President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, his Ateneo high school classmate, before his Board of Directors and Executive Officers and an audience teeming with Rotarians. The Manila Mayor was presented that evening with an elegant commemorative Rotary Club of Manila Centennial Watch by Ibarra as a token of appreciation for gracing the occasion in his capacity as Inducting Officer.

Susing, as he is fondly called by his fellow Manila Rotarians and acquaintances, delivered a powerful inaugural speech, laying down his framework of governance while expressing his deep gratitude for Rotarians and sponsors who have helped his make the event an overwhelming success in furtherance of ONE CENTURY ONE MISSION ONE ROTARY in testimonial of a 100 years of Service to Humanity just as the new logo of the club and the official centennial logo were launched. Likewise he focused on his two flagship projects, the SARI-SARING ARALAN in cooperation with the Ayala Foundation and the REAP (ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM), both directed towards attaining Rotary’s Six Areas of Focus.

Another highlight of the evening was the serenading of the incoming president and his Rotary Ann, Maritess Pineda with three songs rendered by the World Famous Music Chorale. Led by Chairman PP Babes Reyes and Co-Chair PP Benny Laguesma under the baton of Prof. Domino Marcos, the chorale made a soulful rendition of “Through the Years” by Kenny Rogers, “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin which was reprised by Nat King Cole and the timeless Tagalong song, “Ikaw ang Mahal Ko”, with modified lyrics to honor the incoming president.

The formal festivities drew to a close at four minutes past the hour of nine in the evening, right on schedule in line with age old tradition with Inspiring President Susing Pineda adjourning the meeting, signalling the beginning of dancing to the music of Marcy David Band, reminiscent of RCM’s rag-cutting ways of past as ABS-CBN TV anchor Ces Oreña-Drilon took over the hosting chores, as major raffle prizes were announced on the giant LED screen.

Certainly, the grand event served notice that Asia’s First Rotary Club is here to stay as the well-organized event which began on time and finished on time has become an immortalized trademark of the brand of professionalism that pervades the Rotary Club of Manila as it reiterates its role as the First Rotary Club in the whole of Asia.